WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1747/97 by Honório NOVO , Sérgio RIBEIRO to the Commission. Imports of textiles and clothing from Indonesia
Date: 1997-05-23
Institutions: European Parliament, NOVO, RIBEIRO
Subjects: Indonesia, Timor, clothing, common organisation of markets, human rights, import, quantitative restriction, textile product













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91997E1747

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1747/97 by Honório NOVO , Sérgio RIBEIRO to the Commission. Imports of textiles and clothing from Indonesia  


Official Journal C 391 , 23/12/1997 P. 0126 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-1747/97 by Honório Novo (GUE/NGL) and Sérgio Ribeiro (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (23 May 1997)Subject: Imports of textiles and clothing from IndonesiaIn the wake of the amendments to Regulation 3030/93 ((OJ L 275, 8.11.1993, p. 1. )) adopted in January 1997 and ratified by the Council on 29 April 1997, the Commission has adopted a specific regulation intended to allow additional quantities of textiles products and clothing to be imported from Indonesia.Does the Commission believe that its decision of 29 April 1997 is compatible with Indonesia's failure to respect the decisions of the UN, and with the positions of the European Parliament and the EU requiring trade relations with Indonesia to be conditional on the East Timor issue?Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan on behalf of the Commission (27 June 1997)In adopting Regulation (EC) No 560/97 of 26 March 1997 on additional quantities of textile products to be made available to the Republic of Indonesia ((OJ L 85, 27.3.1997. )) the Commission took as legal basis the text of Article 8 of Regulation (EEC) No 3030/93 ((OJ L 275, 8.11.1993. )) in force at that time, i.e. before being amended by Regulation (EC) No 824/97 ((OJ L 119, 8.5.1997. )) which was adopted by Council on 29 April 1997.The text of Article 8 which was then in force allowed the Commission, under particular circumstances and upon a favorable opinion of the textile committee, to grant additional quantities of restricted textile and clothing products for imports from third countries during a given quota year without offsetting such additional quantities against corresponding quantitative deductions from other products under quota, or from other quota years. In this respect, the text of Article 8 resulting from the amendment subsequently adopted by Council gives less, not more, discretion to the Commission, in that it is now explicitly provided that such additional quantities may only be granted subject to compensatory quota reductions elsewhere.In fact the derogation granted by Regulation (EC) No. 560/97 did not so much benefit Indonesia which had to deduct the quota the following year, but it mainly served the interests of European importers who were unaware of the existing quota utilisation problems created by the Indonesian administration and found themselves in a difficult situation with goods blocked in customs for weeks.Indonesia being a member of the World trade organisation (WTO), trade in textiles and clothing products between that country and the Community is governed by the multilateral trade rules agreed between all members within that organization, and particularly by the Agreement on textiles and clothing.As the Honourable Members know, the Union has formulated a common position on East Timor, and participated fully in establishing the views expressed by the United Nations human rights commission's resolution.The Commission continues to follow closely the political process in Indonesia and will continue to raise issues of concern with the Indonesian government for the maintenance of human rights and fundamental freedoms.